By Peter Christian
This year our continuous mock draft updates have been a collaboration between Mr. Banks (I decided I’m going to start referring to him that way instead of PMB from now on. It’s like when Vince McMahon started going by Mr. McMahon in the WWE. He re-branded himself as an even more authoritative figure, Mr. Banks deserves the same status and recognition) and myself. However, with the draft only a day away, we are now separating our prognosticating abilities to produce dueling mock drafts. Head to head. Mano y mano. It’s on.
With the first pick in the 2010 NFL draft the St. Louis Rams select…
1. St. Louis Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma
Bradford’s shoulder issues have seemingly been put to rest and he has taken his rightful spot atop the draft board. Going into last year’s college season he was the top prospect because of his superior talent at the quarterback position. From the Rams standpoint, it would be nice to bring in Ndamukong Suh but Bradford has the tools to be the face of the franchise and can hopefully bring St. Louis back from the depths of crappy football.
2.Detroit Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska
I hate to say this but the Lions fans should have hope. I know, I know, it’s still the Lions but the rebuild is starting to take shape. They’ve got young talent at many of the skill positions, they’ve begun installing some cornerstones on defense and once the offensive line is anchored they could be ready to aim for, wait for it, the playoffs (gasp!). It sounds crazy but it’s true. Suh is a disruption artist. He can plug running lanes, crash the pocket, track down the quarterback and make tackles behind the line of scrimmage. If Suh is the beginning of a 2nd straight successful draft class, the Lions could be a year away from competitive football again.
For an interview/profile of Suh, click here.
3. Tampa Bay Gerald McCoy DT Oklahoma
The Buccaneers defense was porous last season as they gave up less than 20 points only 4 times last season. As any defensive coach will tell you, it all starts up front. Tampa Bay had no one to blow plays up at the origin and therefore were picked apart by opposing offenses. McCoy is an every down interior lineman that can play as a true nose or a 3 technique and be successful at either position.
4. Washington Russell Okung OT Oklahoma State
So the Redskins made waves yet again this offseason by landing Mike Shanahan to try and right the ship and by signing a boatload of mediocre players that no other team had interest in (read: Larry Johnson, Rex Grossman, Phillip Buchanon etc). Oh and they also made a trade you might have heard about even if you were travelling on the Voyager Spacecraft (which is more than 10 billion miles from the Sun right now) by getting Donovan McNabb from the Eagles. So logically the next step for a team that has a bunch of old guys behind the line of scrimmage is to get someone to try and block for them. The Redskins Achilles’ heel last season was their inability to block, well, anything. If Okung can come in and be an anchor for both the running game and pass protection the Redskins will be able to make the NFC East a 3 team race. Okung has the skills, smarts and size to be elite for the next decade.
5. Kansas City Eric Berry S Tennessee
I really doubt that Kansas City makes this pick, although it wouldn’t be stupid to do so. In fact it would be smart to do so. From all accounts Kansas City doesn’t LOVE anyone at this pick and would really like to drop back a bit to take someone they do love at a better value (i.e. cheaper contract/signing bonus). Whoever, if anyone, trades up here is going to be trying to land Eric Berry who is Awesome with a capital “A.” The comparison’s to Ed Reed are spot on as he is a fast, physical safety that has yet to fully reach his potential. San Francisco seems like a team that might want to jump up to grab Berry as they need an upgrade at safety.
6. Seattle Trent Williams OT Oklahoma
Not a tough choice here for the Seahawks, they have issues at offensive line depth because Walter Jones is probably going to retire and Sean Locklear has missed 10 games during the past 2 seasons due to injury. Trent Williams is a very good answer to that problem. He’s a typical right tackle and has played in every game during his last two seasons at Oklahoma.
For more on all the talented OTs in this draft click here
7. Cleveland CJ Spiller Clemson
For more on Cleveland’s 2010 NFL draft go here
The Browns would have loved if Eric Berry would have fallen to them (and if Kansas City holds on to their pick it’s a possibility) but Cleveland has plenty of other holes to fill and an every down running back is just that. Spiller had a brilliant end of the collegiate season to solidify himself as the best running back in this draft class.
8. Oakland Bryan Bulaga OT Iowa
Al Davis jokes aside, this is one of the toughest picks to project in the entire draft. They have so many holes to fill that they could go in about 8 different directions (each of which will change the landscape of the rest of the 1st round dramatically). Bulaga is more polished than current Raider and former Hawkeye Robert Gallery was when Davis drafted him 2nd overall in 2004
9. Buffalo Bills Jimmy Clausen QB Notre Dame
Poor Buffalo. They need a quarterback but they need a lot of other things first. If the Bills even attempt to build around Clausen now, it’s gonna be a mix of the David Carr project and the Joey Harrington project, and in both cases we’re only using the bad parts of those projects (though I’m sure fans in Houston and Detroit are thinking, “what were the good parts?”). Clausen is a good prospect and has the tools to become a good NFL quarterback (accurate arm, coverage recognition, elusiveness in the pocket) but the Bills offensive line in its current state is not a place for a young QB who will need time and reps to come into his own to learn the ropes. He’d get slaughtered worse than Daniel Larusso against the Cobra Kai before he met Mr. Miyagi. Unfortunately for the organization all 3 of the top OT’s might be gone before they pick. Fortunately for the organization all 3 top OT’s might be gone before they pick. Buffalo needs a player to let the franchise’s hopes fall on and that could be Clausen, if they protect him.
For an exploration and analysis of Clausen’s personal character click here
10. Jacksonville Jaguars Earl Thomas S Texas
All the talk about Tim Tebow here seems to have finally subsided which means that the Jacksonville front office can actually focus on a player that will make the team better rather than just fill seats for a couple seasons. Earl Thomas will do the former first and the latter down the line. He’s a dynamic ball hawk that will anchor the Jaguars secondary and will combat some of the aerial attacks of the AFC South and beyond.
To read a profile/interview of Thomas click here
11. Denver Broncos Dez Bryant WR Oklahoma State
For anyone concerned about Dez Bryant’s “character issues” let’s put one thing to bed: the kid got hosed by the NCAA. He didn’t do anything that violated NCAA rules that would warrant an ineligible decision from them. He lied to the NCAA, sure. But only because he thought he broke the rules. If the NCAA would have given Bryant the proper information about what is and isn’t proper he would have known he didn’t do anything wrong, he wouldn’t have lied and he’d be a certified top 5 prospect. As for Bryant’s skills on the field, he’s money. He can go over the middle, he can run the boundary, he can feel the first down marker. He’s a gifted athlete with good speed, great hands and superior body control to make the tough catches and stay in bounds. The Broncos get a steal at 11 to replace Brandon Marshall.
12. Miami Dolphins Dan Williams DT Tennessee
Miami could go a couple different ways here but getting Williams at the 12th pick is a steal. He’s a true nose tackle and a load for opposing Centers and Guards to deal with. He plays hard and brings a desire to cause disruption in the backfield to the line of scrimmage. Miami was able to bring in Karlos Dansby to play behind him, getting Williams is only going to make that investment look better.
13. San Francisco 49ers Derrick Morgan DE Georgia Tech
Morgan is polished and primed for the NFL. He’s talented and athletic enough to be able to play all 3 downs from the second he’s drafted and San Francisco will be excited to get a player of his caliber with the 13th pick.
14. Seattle Seahawks Jason Pierre-Paul DE USF
Who’s down with JPP? Trust me when I say, EVERYBODY. Pierre-Paul has been a rocket up draft boards since January and with good reason. He’s one of the few DE prospects that has the size and ability to play in both a 3-4 and a 4-3. JPP is a natural pass rusher and has an onslaught of moves to get to the quarterback but he also moves well down the line to chase down a ball carrier. He’s still a little raw, but he shouldn’t be too difficult to mold into an elite defensive star.
15. New York Giants Rolando McClain ILB Alabama
It’s pretty odd when everyone projects the same pick for the same team in the middle of the first round, but this is exactly the case here. It’s no secret that the Giants LB’s took a major step back last season and it is easily their weakest position on the field. McClain will stop the bleeding and bring stability to the group from day 1. He’s a proven defensive leader and is extremely intelligent at understanding what’s coming and relaying that to his teammates pre-snap. His tackling abilities are also top notch.
For an interview/profile of McClain, click here
16. Tennessee Titans Maurkice Pouncey C/G Florida
The Titans would be very tempted to write Pouncey’s former Gator teammate Joe Haden on their draft card and CB is a major need for the team but they are very shallow and old on the interior of their offensive line. Pouncey could step in and play guard right away or center if Kevin Mawae doesn’t re-sign with the Titans. It’s no secret that the Titans need to maintain protection of their backfield (VY and CJ) and Pouncey will ensure that they will be protected from up the middle.
17. San Francisco 49ers Joe Haden CB Florida
If the 49ers land Derrick Morgan and Joe Haden in the the first round they’ll be fist pumping like Jersey Shore champs all weekend. Haden is undoubtedly the best CB in the draft pool this year and if San Fran gambles by passing on him at 13 to land him here it’s a means to get two players who are projected the best at their position in the entire draft. Not too shabby.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers Anthony Davis OT Rutgers
Davis isn’t a high profile pick by any means but at this point, the Steelers would like to remain out of the spotlight for a while. Davis can line up on either side of the ball and be an effective behemoth to assist in shoring up the offensive line issues that have plagued the Steelers over the past few seasons.
19. Atlanta Falcons Brandon Graham OLB Michigan
Graham played end in college but due to his size is making the transition to a rush OLB which happens to be one of the Falcons’ biggest needs. Graham showed off at the Senior Bowl with an outstanding week of practice and a big game in front of the scouts which led to him being a solidified 1st round prospect. He will need to rely on his instincts to get him through the learning period as he adjusts to the new position at the higher level.
20. Houston Texans Kyle Wilson CB Boise State
With Dunta Robinson leaving via free agency, Wilson is his replacement here. He is a strong physical corner with speed which is what most defensive coordinators want. He has a very polished game and will bring plenty of experience to the NFL as he started a total of 45 games while at Boise State.
21. Cincinnati Bengals Mike Iupati G Idaho
It will be very tempting for the Bengals to take Jermaine Gresham who would likely make a big impact but Iupati is the safer route as he will help shore up some serious deficiencies on the offensive line.
22. New England Patriots Sergio Kindle OLB Texas
Kindle will immediately help infuse some energy into the Patriots defense which turned slow and old in a hurry last season. Kindle is a sure tackler and can cover a ton of ground from his position and will sneak up on opposing quarterbacks.
23. Green Bay Packers Charles Brown OT USC
The Packers O-Line struggled to start the season last year and the team would like to avoid the same problem in the upcoming season. Brown can help with that as he can provide some depth and flexibility to the current group of offensive lineman on the roster. Packers GM Ted Thompson would probably desire to take Mike Iupati with this pick a little more as he would be a better value.
24. Philadelphia Eagles Kareem Jackson CB Alabama
Philly just traded one of the best deep ball throwers in the NFL to a team inside their division so they need to shore up their defensive backfield and quick. Kareem Jackson will do a very good job at covering one side of the field. His pass coverage is among the best in the draft and he is blessed with very fluid movement that allows him to make quick adjustments to the ball once it is in the air.
25. Baltimore Ravens Jermaine Gresham WR Oklahoma
The Ravens were able to effectively give Joe Flacco some targets through free agency and this would give him one more. Sure, the Ravens have Todd Heap but he’s battled injuries and a decreased production in the last few seasons. Gresham is a supremely talented TE that can utilize his size to make a big target, whether it be running down the seam or just camping out in a hole in the coverage.
26. Arizona Cardinals Sean Weatherspoon OLB Missouri
Weatherspoon is an intelligent football player with a perfect mix of size and speed to excel in the NFL. He effectively brings pressure and stops the run and can drop into coverage as well. He’s an OLB by trade but he is tough enough and smart enough to move inside if the Cardinals asked him to.
27. Dallas Cowboys Roger Saffold OT Indiana
Saffold has been silently moving up draft boards in the last few weeks. He’s a very solid run and pass blocker that will step in to improve the weaknesses that Dallas showed against quicker pass rushers last season. With Flozell Adams out of Dallas and the Cowboys already weak at the position, they need to address that hole early in the draft. Saffold does just that.
28. San Diego Chargers Ryan Matthews RB Fresno State
LaDanian Tomlinson is gone and no one really believes that Darren Sproles can be an every down back so Ryan Matthews is an obvious choice here. He’s a big body that can move. He ran a 4.45 40 time at the combine which surprised scouts. He has the ability to run inside or out and carry the load that LaDanian couldn’t last year.
For an in-depth profile, exclusive interview of Mathews click here
29. New York Jets Taylor Mays S USC
With Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie tasked with covering the outside receivers, Mays will be able to step in and be a deep safety that opposing WR’s will be afraid of. Not afraid to lay a big hit, Mays will be looked to to intimidate his opponents. His size and speed are the prototype of what DC’s want from their safeties but Mays might need a little bit of, as Mr. Banks would say, Lawry’s before being a major factor in the opposing team’s gameplans.
30. Minnesota Vikings Colt McCoy QB Texas
With the Vikings signing Lito Sheppard and Mays being off the board it looks like the Vikings are ready to take the quarterback of the future. McCoy is back to 100% according to his doctors and is a big name QB. He isn’t as polished as Sam Bradford but he can still make nearly every throw on the field and if groomed and given time to adapt, McCoy could make the NFC North the most QB talent rich division in all of football.
For a profile/interview of McCoy click here
31. Indianapolis Colts Jerry Hughes OLB TCU
Hughes will fit in very well with the Colts defense because he is fast and pursues the football with ambition. He is a little undersized but that’s never stopped the Colts before. Hughes is an excellent tackler but could struggle against the run due to his lack of strength and inability to shed blockers efficiently.
32. New Orleans Saints Jared Odrick DT/DE Penn State
Odrick’s size and athleticism will allow him to play a 3 or a 5 technique in the NFL which is perfect for the Saints because they need someone to give them some depth and flexibility up front. He’s quick and strong which allows him to control his one on one battles at the line of scrimmage but once he beats his man he lacks the necessary speed to effectively finish the sack or tackle behind the line.
To read the complete profile and exclusive of Odrick click here